Depression, in general, refers to a state of sadness in which the affected individuals have experienced different degrees of disruption in their social functioning and their daily activities depending on the seriousness of the situation. Common symptoms may include loss of interest, feelings of overwhelming sadness or fear, changing of appetite with marked variations in body weights, and decrease in self-esteem.
Medication and psychotherapy are the two typical methods for treating depression, and these two methods are usually employed in conjunction with one another. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) are the drugs that have found broad usages in treating depression. However, adverse side effects may accompany the use of these drugs, such as sexual dysfunction and the additive dependence on drugs leading to drug abuse.